Wednesday Football

17 December 2008

by Jerrad Peters

 

Big Sam makes Lancashire return

 

Blackburn Rovers moved swiftly to replace dismissed manager Paul Ince, this week. Less than 24 hours after the "Guv'nor" had been relieved of his duties, chairman John Williams and the club's board named Sam Allardyce to the job. The appointment ends almost a year out of football for the former Bolton Wanderers and Newcastle boss. He has agreed a contract that will keep him at Ewood Park until 2011.

"Blackburn Rovers are delighted to announce the appointment of Sam Alardyce as manager with immediate effect," read a statement on the club's official website. "Sam has signed a three-year contract."

The 54-year-old will be formerly introduced on Thursday and will be in charge for Saturday's crucial six-pointer against Stoke City. Currently second-from-bottom in the Premier League, Rovers won just three matches under Ince and have not taken maximum points since September 27.

At Blackburn, Allardyce will be faced with a challenge similar to his previous job at Bolton. Rovers are a physical, hardworking club with restricted funds and limited fan support. He will be encouraged to purchase make-work projects rather than bonna-fide stars while turning Ewood Park into a defensive fortress.

Before accepting the Blackburn job, Allardyce had been considered a frontrunner to replace Roy Keane at Sunderland. Having played for the Black Cats in the early 1980s, he was thought to be at the head of a list including, among others, Alan Curbishley, Gerard Houllier and Carlos Alberto Parreira.

Sunderland chairman Niall Quinn has been in no hurry to make an appointment, however, and is currently reviewing upwards of 30 candidates. His strategy in filling the managerial vacancy has produced no shortage of confusion at the Stadium of light—a problem that Williams and Blackburn appeared eager to avoid.

 

El Mundo: Ronaldo's a done deal

 

Spanish daily El Mundo is reporting that Cristiano Ronaldo's transfer to Real Madrid is already signed and sealed. According to Madrid official Pedro Trapote, the Manchester United winger will arrive at the Bernabeu in June as a result of a gentleman's agreement between club president Ramon Calderon and United manager Sir Alex Ferguson.

Word of the deal was not supposed to be released until the end of the season. Trapote broke ranks on Wednesday, however, citing Madrid's poor form and a need to boost the fans' spirits as his reason for leaking the information.

"It's better not [to] say anything now because there are some clauses that prevent us from announcing it," he said, adding, "For us it would be the right time, but we shouldn't do it."

After nearly joining Madrid in the summer, Ronaldo was convinced to return to England by Ferguson in early August. And upon winning the Ballon d'or, the 23-year-old reiterated his commitment to the club.

That said, he has struggled to regain his form of last season so far this term and has rankled United coaches with his on-field behavior. Against Sunderland on December 6, he walked off the pitch and down the tunnel as a result of an apparent rib injury. The United bench was caught completely off guard, having been unprepared to make a substitution. As a result, the Red Devils played with 10 men for three minutes while Anderson warmed up along the touchline. A week earlier, Ronaldo handled the ball in the opposing box and was issued his marching orders.

These recent antics, coupled with his behavior during the summer, may have convinced Ferguson to part with him while his value remains sky-high. Despite his slow start to this season, he could easily fetch upwards of 50M-pounds on the open market.

Of course, El Mundo is adamant that the transaction has already been completed. They are reporting that, according to Madrid officials, "Cristiano is already history in Manchester."